Collar shape preserver



July 14, 1931.

E. w. WILSON COLLAR SHAPE PRESERVE'R Filed Feb. 2, 1931 17706775272" Edward Z1]. M11550]? Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD W. WILSON, OF liTASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR T0 NASHUA SURE- HOLD COMPANY, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS COLLAR SHAPE PRESERVER Application filed February 2,. 1931. Serial No. 512,906.

This invention relates to devices employed by laundries as temporary attachments for garments when the latter are being prepared for, and are being returned to' customers; and the invention is particularly designed for use in connection with shirts.

The portions of mens shirts which surround the necks of the wearers are referred to as neck bands. When the shirts have no complete collars and are designed to have collars attached thereto-by the users, the neck bands are comparatively narrow; that is, they are low in height. When the shirts are made with attached collars, the inner neck band portions are usually higher and to their upper edges there are connected, integrall' or by seams, the portions of the fabric whlch present the outer visible portions of the collars. Shirts of the former type are referred to herein as neck-band shirts, and those of the latter type are referred to herein as collar-attached shirts.

The object of my invention is to provide simple, easily applied attachments of low cost, which can be quickly applied to positions relatively to the collars or neck bands of either of the above-described types of shirts and which will reliably remain in positions to hold the front portions of the collars or neck bands in smooth conditions.

With said object in view, the invention consists in the shaper or form substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front viewof a folded laun- 'dered shirt with one of my improved"forms in position to support the front portions of the attached collar.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same, partly broken out, and most of the attachment indicated by dotted .lines'to avoid confusion with the other lines.

Figure 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2, on a larger scale.

Figure 4 represents a section on line 44 of Figure I, on a larger scale.

Figures 5 and 6 are plan views of two of l the kinds of shapers or forms whichlmay be employed.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts or features in all-of the views. A folded shirt a having an attached collar band the usual upper button 7 in the neck band portion a of the shirt is conventionally illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The neck band portion 0, at its front has one end (2 provided with a button hole, and the other end e carries the button 7' all as usual.

Referring now to Figure 5, the form or sh aper which is sometimes referred to as a formette, consists of a flat flexible strip 5, usually of cardboard or pasteboard, and so .cut at its approximate mid-width or center as. to provide a laterally elongated curved ton ue 6.

he ends of the strip are cut on converging lines 7, 8, which meet to form points 9, the purpose of which will be presently explained. The upper edge 10 is curved to correspond with the curve-d shape which is assumed by the front fold line of the collar of the shirt when such collar is in a partially raised condition as illustrated by Figures 1 and 2. The lower edge of .the strip is similarly curved, but preferably on'a line which causes the strip to taper somewhat in width from its mid-width to its ends.

To apply the strip to position for use, it is converted to such shape, by slight bend ing, that it can be inserted inside the front -of the neck band portion a of the shirt and slightly shiftedendwise, or so manipulated, that its tongue 6 will enter between the ends d, e, of the said neck band (Fig. 3) and extend behind the lower portion of the button 7 (Fig. 4). This looks the attachment in the position indicated by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2 from which position it can not be readily removed except by tearing. The fact that few, if any, of the attachments can be removed from the shirts in condition to be used again is of little or no consequence as they are of very slight cost.

The pointed ends 9 of the strip aid in preventing it from being accidentally shifted endwise so as to unlock the tongue 6 from its position of interengagement as therefore presenting a simple tooth at each end, the ends may be serrated to provide a plurality of teeth at each end, as illustrated at 11 in Figure 6. And the tongue to interlocked withp'ortions of the shirt as described, instead of being curved and presenting a rounded end as illustrated in Figure 5,

' may be otherwise shaped. For instance the tongue may have a triangular form as illustrated at 12 in Figure 6. i

If the device is to be used in connection with a shirt having a neck band and no complete collar, it is only necessary to insert a cheap stud, such as commonly used by laundries, in the usual two button holes of the shirt, and then apply the device to position in the same manner as hereinbefore described for collar-attached shirts. For such neckband shirts, the attachments are usually narrower than illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

' While the device is especially designed for use by laundries in connection with shirts returned to their customers, it is also useful applied to shirts on exhibition for sale.

Having now described my invention, I

claim I 1. A form preserver comprising a flat flex ible strip having a concave edge to fit inside the neck band portion of a shirt, said strip having a button-engaging tongue intermediate its width in position to cooperate with the u per button of the shirt.

2. 3. device of the character described, comprising a flexible strip having acurved edge and toothed ends and having a buttonengaging tongue intermediate its width to cooperate with the upper button of a shirt.

3.- A device of the character described, comprising a flexible strip having a curved upper edge and having an elongated tongue intermediate its width and length and extending longitudinally of the strip in position to extend between overla ped front ends of the neck band of a folde shirt.

' 4. A device of the character described, comprising a flexible strip having a curved upper edge and having an integral button-engag; i

ing curved tongue intermediate its wld and length and extending longitudinally of thestrip.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a flexible strip having a curved upper edge and an integral button-engaging triangular tongue intermediate its Width and length and extending longitudinally of the strip.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

EDWARD W. WILSON. 

